A graceful,
alert, swift-moving little dog with saucy expression, compact,
and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.

Size, Proportion, SubstanceWeight A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds. Proportion
The body is off-square; hence, slightly longer when measured from point of
shoulder to point of buttocks, than height at the withers. Somewhat shorter
bodies are preferred in males. Disqualification Any dog over 6 pounds
in weight.

Head

A well rounded "apple dome" skull, with or without molera. Expression
Saucy. Eyes Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous
dark or luminous ruby. (Light eyes in blond or white-colored dogs permissible.)
Ears Large, erect type ears, held more upright when alert, but flaring
to the sides at a 45 degree angle when in repose, giving breadth between the
ears. Muzzle Moderately short, slightly pointed. Cheeks and jaws lean.
Nose Self-colored in blond types, or black. In moles, blues, and chocolates,
they are self-colored. In blond types, pink nose permissible. Bite
Level or scissors. Overshot or undershot bite, or any distortion of the bite
or jaw, should be penalized as a serious fault. Disqualifications Broken
down or cropped ears.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck Slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders. Topline
Level. Body Ribs rounded and well sprung (but not too much "barrel-shaped").
Tail Moderately long, carried sickle either up or out, or in a loop
over the back, with tip just touching the back. (Never tucked between legs.)
Disqualifications Cropped tail, bobtail.

Forequarters

Shoulders Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support above straight
forelegs that set well under, giving a free play at the elbows. Shoulders
should be well up, giving balance and soundness, sloping into a level back.
(Never down or low.) This gives a chestiness, and strength of forequarters,
yet not of the "Bulldog" chest. Feet A small, dainty foot
with toes well split up but not spread, pads cushioned. (Neither the hare
nor the cat foot.) Pasterns Fine.

Hindquarters

Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down, firm and
sturdy. The feet are as in front.

Coat

In
the Smooth Coats, the coat should be of soft texture, close and glossy.
(Heavier coats with undercoats permissible.) Coat placed well over body with
ruff on neck preferred, and more scanty on head and ears. Hair on tail preferred
furry. In Long Coats, the coat should be of a soft texture, either
flat or slightly curly, with undercoat preferred. Ears-Fringed. (Heavily
fringed ears may be tipped slightly if due to the fringes and not to weak
ear leather, never down.) Tail-Full and long (as a plume). Feathering
on feet and legs, pants on hind legs and large ruff on the neck desired and
preferred. Disqualification-In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles
bareness.

Color

Any color-Solid, marked or splashed.

Gait

The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good
reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear, the hocks
remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows
directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, will
tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity as speed increases.
The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear and plenty of reach in
the front, with head carried high. The topline should remain firm and the
backline level as the dog moves.

Temperament

Alert, with terrier-like qualities.

DISQUALIFICATIONS

Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
Broken down or cropped ears.
Cropped tail, bobtail.
In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.